Fix for the Afghan preference for growing poppies

I say the US or International Community as a group simply buy the opium produced. After all in the US we pay rich people that are absentee owners of farms that don't grow anything 'free' (translated: your tax dollars) federal government money in the form of farm subsides. So what if it is opium? Just buy it. When the opium is bought then it's known who is growing it, and it keeps the drug and drug money out of the hands of potential terrorists, and the Taliban. Then burn it or sell it to legit drug and chemical companies to recoup some of the money spent on it. This way the farmers don't turn to the Taliban and terrorists for their survival which makes any man a another man's friend. Then we become their friends instead of potential targets.

If this is done the Afghan farmers can then be introduced to other crops that will support their families and they can freely and proudly sell in the open marketplace.

Buying the opium produced also prevents the regulating agency from having to traveling with armed squads of soldiers and they don't have to kill or arrest people simply trying to make a living in a harsh environment.

One other plus is no spraying of plant poisons and defoliants that will stress their already marginal growing environment and may pose long-term health threats to man, animals and local plant species.

I can only assume that no armed squads, no herbicide campaigns, no deaths on both sides will be cheaper than buying the opium and providing teaching and new crops.